Scriba hearing draws 250 people to discuss coal-to-gas plant

More than three dozen opponents and proponents of a proposal to turn coal into a replacement for natural gas spoke their minds at a public hearing tonight in Scriba.

Opponents included those who live next to the existing Novelis plant, where the proposed $2 billion facility would turn 20,000 tons of coal into methane each day, as well as people concerned about the proposal's environmental impact.

Proponents included plant developers, an economic development official, workers interested in potential construction jobs and residents concerned about property taxes.

More than 250 people sat and stood in Scriba's town courtroom as Supervisor Kenneth Burdick began the hearing by explaining that the town council was there to hear comments on a proposal to change a section of town law that prohibited the manufacture of fuel or explosives.

"We're here to listen to the public," he said. For the next two hours, they got to do just that.

At the end of the hearing, Scriba Town Attorney Kevin Caraccioli said he did not know when the board would vote on the law change.